The Madison Record - May 31, 2023

A super-talented James Clemens junior captured the Decathlon State Championship posting the fourth-best performance in the country. Page 6A

Drew Bell

Madison’s Drew Bell made another notch in his quest for a World Championship. Page 6A

SCHOOL’S OUT OR SUMMER! - This cheerful group of happy crustaceans and hula dancers make up the famous “Columbia Carline Crew”. Last Wednesday afternoon, this was their way of saying “aloha” to the end of the school year and wishing students a wonderful summer. Schools in Madison are now out for the summer break, except for summer school and the various camps hosted on school campuses. Students will return for the fall semester on Aug. 3. Pictured above: (first row - left to right) Karen Jump, Megan Hockey, Alisha Mayfield, (second row) Alisha Courtney, Nancy Conrad, Molly Hayne and Ashley Mitchell-Dowdell.

Starkey named new head coach at Bob Jones

By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.com

MADISON - Bob Jones has a new basketball coach who needs no introduction to the players or school.

The Madison school board last week approved Bryant

E. Starkey as head varsity boys coach, replacing Luther Tiggs, who is retiring.

Starkey has served as Tiggs’ assistant coach and was Bob Jones’ junior varsity head coach for several years.

“This is a dream job for me,” Starkey told the board after today’s hiring action. He said he loves Bob Jones and promised to “pour into

the players” in their development athletically and growth as students.

Numerous players attended the board meeting for the approval, along with Tiggs, retiring BJ athletic director Tom Runnion, Principal Sylvia Lambert and Starkey’s family.

Starkey began with Madison City Schools in the 20122013 school year, serving as coach and social studies teacher at Discovery Middle. After a year in similar positions at Muscle Shoals High School, he returned to Madison City Schools in 2015 as a coach and social studies

See STARKEY Page 8A

Salute to the Class of 2023

By MARIA RAKOCZY maria@themadisonrecord.com

MADISON – The issue was not even on the council meeting agenda, but the upcoming opening of Rocket City Armory drew a grand total of 26 members of the public to voice their perspectives in the public comments section of the meeting last week.

Rocket City Armory is a firearms repair and gunsmithing shop planning to open this year at 111 Plaza Blvd in Madison. They will also carry an inventory of new and used firearms.

Some Madison parents are worried the proximity of the armory to Midtown Elementary School, Primrose Preschool, and the future Big Blue Marble preschool will be a safety hazard to the students with gun violence incidents at schools on the rise.

“I think that the gun store is a bad idea. I’ll be honest. I don’t think it takes a rocket scientist to determine that putting a gun store within spitting distance of elementary school children is a bad idea,” one concerned parent, Alex Vaughn, stated.

Councilwoman Maura Wroblewski voiced her opposition to the business’ location and suggested as a compromise that the armory establish operating hours around the school calendar.

“They have not received their business license yet, and we as a council could stipulate that they limit their operating hours from not being open during school hours,” Wroblewski proffered. “I think this is something that we as a council could consider at our next work session.”

Mayor Paul Finley explained that the city currently has no legal ability to block the business.

“With any zoning, if it meets the criteria for that zoning, we are required to accept that. The things that can change that are basically, if it is determined a nuisance,” Finley stated.

“There’s four criteria, if for whatever reason, Rocket City Armory didn’t meet, the city council would have the ability to talk, have a public hearing, and take the business license, which is exactly what we did with Three Springs.”

In light of the Discovery Middle School shooting, Finley promised, “One of the things tonight that we won’t come to an agreement on is gun control. That’s just not going to happen. You can have discussion. You guys have opinions. The second thing we won’t do is we won’t legislate evil because that’s

Bryant Starkey, new head basketball coach at Bob Jones High School, with his wife Britany and daughters Brynton and Braelynn.

“ALOHA”

Hundreds of newly graduated seniors from Sparkman High School are pictured throwing their caps in the air at the conclusion of their graduation ceremony last Tuesday. Last week, we featured the graduates from Bob Jones and James Clemens high schools in our two-part “Salute to the Class of 2023”. This week, we feature Sparkman High School, St. John Paul II Catholic High School and Madison Academy (see section B). If you missed last week’s issue of The Madison Record, you can download a digital version at www.themadisonrecord.com. Congratulations!

you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.”

-Henry Ford

Photo of the Week

GENERAL INFORMATION

To report news: 256-763-1150 news@themadisonrecord.com To place an ad:

256-714-7152 Classified: 256-260-2226

Notice: 256-382-7490 French Salter General Manager 256-772-6677 french.salter@ theredstonerocket.com

Few Editor 256-763-1150 john@themadisonrecord.com

L. Parker News Writer gregg@themadisonrecord.com

CORRECTIONS

The Madison Record will be happy to correct any errors which appear in the newspaper or clarify any statements which are unclear. To request a correction or clarification, call 256-7631150 between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday -Friday, or email news@ themadisonrecord.com.

COMMENTS

Have a comment about a story or a suggestion? Email news@ themadisonrecord.com

2ND CLASS POSTAGE PAID Madison Post Office Madison, AL 35758 (USPS 324-960)

City council

Continued from page 1A

what happens if someone goes into a school and shoots folks, which happened in Madison in 2010.”

The owner of Rocket City Armory, Jared Hill, spoke during public comments.

“As a family-owned establishment, we understand the concerns that have been raised regarding the proximity of our business to the new elementary school in Madison. We are fully empathetic with the public concerns and fears about gun violence and school shootings in general. Let me assure you, the safety and well-being of our community, especially our children, are of paramount importance to us,” Hill stated.

A number of other notable issues were also addressed by the council at the May 22 meeting. Redistricting was one of those issues. An agenda item requested the council’s approval for the process to begin with a contract paying Slaughter and Associates $15,000 to appropriately redraw the lines to create seven, equal election districts.

Finley explained that the process is coming up to accommodate shifts and growth in population since last redistricting in 2011 and what the city is aiming for with this new redistricting, “Equal districts

To advertise in The Madison Record, call Donna Counts at 256-714-7152

is what we’re shooting for. We will hire a professional that’s done it before to help us accomplish that.”

The official redistricted map will come before the council on Sept. 11 for a vote, and public meetings will begin in July.

The council approved another agenda item allowing city employees, particularly the fire and police departments, to utilize the Hexagon Wellness Center. The agreement comes at a cost of $24,000 to the city and gives the fire and police departments improved fitness facilities over the former facilities, which Mayor Finley described as “rat infested”.

The council also heard the first reading for a permanent change to the order of Public Comments in council meetings. The change which allows for agenda-related comments at the start of the meeting, more comments during the Public Hearing section, and general comments at the very end of the meeting has been implemented in a trial period since the April 24 meeting. The council will vote on making the change permanent at the next city council meeting on June 12.

The next city council will be held on Monday, June 12 at the regular time of 6 pm in the council chambers at city hall.

Member of the Alabama Press Association

“Graduation” for Heritage Elementary 5th graders last Wednesday provided an opportunity for visiting parents to see its new playground. Playground makeovers are taking place at most Madison City elementary schools. Although re-openings have come late in the year (Columbia Elementary new playground opened Thursday and Madison Elementary’s re-opened two weeks ago), their debut gives students another something exciting to look forward to.

Rotary Club honors Madison’s 2023 Employees of the Year

By GREGG PARKER gregg@themadisonrecord.com

MADISON – The city of Madison is filled with outstanding employees who strive daily to meet the city’s mission statement of helping increase the quality of life for all Madison residents. For the past 23 years, the Rotary Club of Madison has selected three of those employees to honor.

Working with the city, the Rotary Club has again recognized exemplary city workers in law enforcement, fire protection and community services.

“These fine employees have been selected by their supervisors for this well-deserved recognition,” Debbie Overcash said.

Overcash is a Rotarian and chairs the award program. During Monday’s Madison City Council meeting, she presented city employee Michelle Dunson, MPD Sergeant Michael Dixon and firefighter Cole Edwards with plaques for being named Madison’s Employee of the Year.

In addition to the plaque, they will receive their name on City Hall’s perpetual plaque, four tickets to Dead Parrot Society Bash and monetary donations from Rotary and Optimist Club of Madison.

Michelle is the City of Madison’s Deputy Director of Engineering, and she has worked for the city since 2019. She manages nearly all city infra-

structure projects from the initial proposal stage through construction closeout, and works very closely with other departments, including Public Works, Recreation, and Planning.

She was selected for her effectiveness, preparedness, concern for the needs of residents in her position.

Sergeant Michael Dixon has been a certified officer since 2001, and he has been working for the city since 2018. He has spent most of his time assigned to the Special Operations Division in the Traffic Unit, and he has additional training as a Traffic Homicide Investigator, Advanced Crash Investigator, and Accident Reconstruction specialist.

He was selected for his “diligence and attention to detail” that has prepared

For more news, go to

other officers for addressing traffic homicides and resulted in the resolution of a double homicide incident and the capture of a murder suspect from Chicago.

Firefighter Cole Edwards has worked for the city since August 2022, and he currently serves as a firefighter at Station 2 on B-shift. Before he started working for the city, he was a career firefighter in Tennessee and an Advanced EMT.

Edwards was recognized for his brave and selfless attitude toward his work, even when off duty from firefighting.

For more about each awardee, check out the June issue of Madison Living Magazine. It can be found in businesses throughout Madison or online at www.madisonlivingmagazine.com.

Sergeant Michael Dixon, firefighter Cole Edwards, and Michelle Dunson, City Deputy Director of Engineering, were honored last week by being named Madison’s employees of the year.

Make Music Day Huntsville encourages residents to let their talents shine June 21

By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.com

HUNTSVILLE - While some dream of performing on a national stage, others just want to share their talents with fellow music-lovers, no matter the venue.

Make Music Day Huntsville, a collaboration between the Huntsville Music Office and Huntsville Hospital Music Therapy Program, is a free community-driven live music celebration on June 21 with concerts in various spaces across the city. Huntsville is one of over 1,000 cities in 120 countries that will participate in the program, which encourages people of all ages and abilities to make music.

The goal of Make Music Day Huntsville is to provide an equal platform for musicians of all skill levels, interests and walks of life and to inspire the next generation of music-makers.

“This gets to the heart of our efforts to make our city’s music environment as dynamic and diverse as possible because it’s something everyone can participate in, no matter whether you’re a professional or just play tambourine around the house for fun with your kids,” said Huntsville Music Officer Matt Mandrella. “Make Music Day is about inclusivity, which is key to building a successful music ecosystem. No matter what kind of music you make, there’s a stage for you.”

How to participate

Participating is easy. The Make Music Day Huntsville website serves as an online “matchmaking” database for both artists and venues. Groups can create accounts and register either as a location interested in hosting a performer or as a performer seeking a venue.

Performers can create artist profiles with information about them, their genre, what instrument(s) they play and more. Registered venues can do the same and then browse artist profiles and invite them to play. Musicians can also browse venue profiles and offer to perform where they have openings.

Performers who don’t want to play solo can browse other profiles and make contact in a bid to form a duo, trio or full-fledged band.

Performances can be as short as 15 minutes, though venues may request more time from a performer.

Varied venues

Venues and organizations that have already signed up include Ditto Landing, the Fret Shop, Panera Bread, Honest Coffee, Downtown Huntsville, Inc., Downtown Huntsville Public Library and Jeff & Blues, a newly opened bar next to The Orion Amphitheater.

For those who prefer a more institutional space, Huntsville City Hall and the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber will also host performances. Huntsville Hospital will

host performances in 11 locations, seven of which are in the hospital with two others at Bridge Street Town Centre and one at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

Mandrella said the partnership with the Huntsville Hospital Music Therapy Program was a natural fit because music can be a tool that both heals and entertains. Eugene Johnson, who manages the program, said he’s excited by the partnership.

“From our hospital halls to downtown Huntsville, our community will be filled with incredible talent and music on June 21,” he said. “This is an inspiring event that showcases the healing power of music. We hope you will join the fun and support Music Therapy through this year’s Make Music Day.”

About Make Music Day

Make Music Day, which began in 2007, is presented by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation. It is held on the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. Other participating Alabama cities include Decatur, Florence, Gadsden, Gulf Shores and Montgomery.

Visit MakeMusicDay.org/Huntsville to view performer and venue listings on the map, which can be filtered by genre, event, artist name or venue name. Users can also search for participating artists and venues.

Designing the future at Huntsville’s “Central Park,” new recreation center comes into focus

By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.com

HUNTSVILLE - Plans are moving forward for the new 53,000-squarefoot John Hunt Park Recreation Center. The new facility will be located north of Joe W. Davis Stadium on about 8.5 acres.

A highlight for many will be 16 outdoor, lighted pickleball courts. The courts include a pavilion and will be designed for competitive play, including tournaments.

“Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the country, and we’ve cer-

tainly seen that reflected in Huntsville,” said Mayor Tommy Battle. “The new John Hunt Park Recreation Center is an excellent opportunity to provide additional courts in a centralized location.”

Inside the center at 3035 Leeman Ferry Road, four full-size gymnasiums will offer practice and competition space for basketball, volleyball, and futsal. A concession area and restrooms will link the gyms to the main building, which will include a fitness room, two multi-purpose activity rooms, office space, and more.

“John Hunt Park is an incredible

asset,” said Huntsville Parks and Recreation Director James Gossett. “It makes sense to have a recreation center be part of this growing area. This design gives us the ability to offer citizens more programs, more fitness options, and more athletic space.” The cost of the architectural contract with William M. Boehme & Associates is $801,978.50. The firm presented renderings of the project to the Huntsville Planning Commission for approval in May. The project is expected to be completed next year.

By U.S. SEN. TOMMY TUBERVILLE 1819News.com

WASHINGTON D.C.

- Every day, technology makes space more and more a part of our lives. It’s also getting more important to our national security. It’s likely that the wars of the future will be fought, at least in part, in space.

This is why, in 2019, President Donald Trump re-established Space Command, or SPACECOM, to manage our military’s operations in space. The question then was, where to locate SPACECOM.

SPACECOM was placed temporarily in Colorado Springs until the Air Force could find a permanent home, which they did in January 2021. The Air Force chose to move SPACECOM to Huntsville, AL. Huntsville makes all the sense in the world as a home for SPACECOM.

Rocket City is already home to Marshall Space Center, our only NASA facility on a secure military installation. Huntsville is already home to the Missile Defense Agency, which protects Americans from the cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and hypersonic attacks. And Rocket City makes more rockets than any other city in the nation. If it goes from Earth to space, then the odds are good that it went through Huntsville.

Rocket City is home to one of the best educated workforces in the world.

A majority of Huntsville has a college degree and more than one in five has a graduate degree. Just last week “U.S. News and World Report” named Huntsville the second best place to live in America.

It should be obvious that Huntsville is the ideal spot for Space Command.

But Democrats in Washington never let the facts get in the way of good politics. Since President Joe Biden took office, Colorado Democrats have demanded the decision be put through two more rounds of government reviews. Unfortunately for them, the additional reviews only confirmed that Huntsville was the best location. The second review even found that the decision-making process had been politically biased— against Alabama!

Nevertheless, despite three government studies now showing Huntsville is the best location for SPACECOM, a disturbing new report last week from NBC News warned that Biden is preparing to overrule the Air Force. The Biden Administration is allegedly making two excuses: (1) because of Alabama’s laws protecting life and (2) concern that moving SPACECOM will be disruptive.

Both excuses are completely baseless.

First, Huntsville was selected over 60 other possible locations on the basis of 21 factual criteria. Abortion wasn’t one of them. Alabama law was already very pro-life when the Air Force made its decision. The idea that Alabama’s pro-life laws cancel out Huntsville’s advantages over all other locations is just a desperate, last-second objection

promoted by Democrat politicians in Colorado.

The argument is so ridiculous that even an anonymous White House official denied that it is a consideration, and Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall denied it publicly on Monday. If abortion were a reason to deny SPACECOM for Huntsville, then it would set a dangerous precedent. Every other red state in America would have to wonder if they were going to be stripped of their military bases. Does Biden want to close Fort Cavazos in Texas? Does Biden want to close Fort Bragg in North Carolina, one of the most populous military bases in the world?

As for the question of readiness, this is also baseless. The head of space command, General James Dickinson, testified under oath last year that “we are a couple [to] three years away from full operational capability . . . no matter where we are located.”

None of the arguments add up. Last week’s report from NBC News even confirms that “U.S. officials said Colorado did not come close to Alabama as a preferred location when the military conducted its search.”

In fact, Colorado didn’t even make the top three. The second-place finisher to Huntsville was Omaha, NE, and third place was San Antonio. Nebraska has relatively liberal abortion laws, and Texas has strong pro-life laws like Alabama. Yet both are red states, and both appear to be getting the same treatment as Huntsville. Is this a coincidence?

Nothing is official yet. NBC’s report says the Biden administration is delaying the decision to strip SPACECOM from Huntsville for fear of aggravating me. They should be afraid. They should also be afraid of crossing the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee—Alabama’s Mike Rogers.

The president needs to do what’s best for SPACECOM, not the Democrat Party. Space will continue to play a larger and larger role in our society and in our national defense. When the next war comes, we need to be ready to fight and win in space.

For the sake of our military, for our national security, and for Alabama, I’m going to keep advocating for Huntsville until SPACECOM finally takes its rightful place in Rocket City.

Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees.

Tuberville: The Biden administration is right to be afraid of aggravating me by stripping SPACECOM from Huntsville

US Sen. Tommy Tuberville

LIVING

MY LIFE AS A HOBBY

Stop and smell the corn dogs!

By JOE HOBBY Columnist

I drove by our community ball park the other day and saw that the AllStar baseball games were well under way. It’s hard to believe that the Little League baseball season has already come and gone. Has it already been 2 months since Opening Day? It seemed like I just saw what seemed to be thousands of parents and grandparents crowded around the baseball diamonds to encourage their future major league players. Please don’t question me - I’m sure that most parents at the ballpark will tell you their child is going to make it to the big leagues - Triple A at the very least.

I believe that all ballparks have one thing in common: the bigger the field is, the more serious the game becomes. That’s why my favorite game is the one with the smallest field - T ball. Hands down, it’s the best game to watch in the world - other than bikini beach volleyball, of course.

I like it because most kids don’t even know the rules, nor do they care. It’s wonderful - organized chaos with colorful uniforms and imitation leather gloves. The coaches try their best to coach, but the parents, most of whom know nothing about baseball, are screaming instructions at their kids like they’re managing the Yankees in the World Series.

“Run, Jacob, Run!”

“No, no! Go back, Jacob, go back!”

“Keep your foot on the base.”

“Touch him with the ball!”

I don’t think you hear comments like that in the major leagues. And you certainly won’t hear:

“Pay attention!”

“Put your hat back on!”

“Pull up your pants!”

“Quit throwing rocks!”

“Do you have to potty?”

I’ve seen an umpire stop a game because several players from both teams had to go to the bathroom. Forget T ball, that was Pee ball.

When you watch a T ball game, you’ll quickly notice that there are about 2 or

Now you know

3 kids on each team who understand what’s going on. The rest of them would probably rather be home watching Peppa Pig, especially if they’re playing in the outfield.

All three of my boys began their T ball careers in the outfield, specifically right field. The old saying, “he was out in left field”, would be more accurate if it was, “he was out in right field”.

For those of you not well versed in this culture, right field is T ball purgatory. You play right field because balls are rarely hit in that direction, making it the perfect place for players who are too young, or uninterested in the game. But playing right field is as boring as a lecture on micro economics. As a result, you can see kids entertaining themselves by looking for bugs, throwing dirt, and in extreme cases, laying on the ground with their glove over their faces.

My youngest son Brad had a unique habit of counting all the people in the bleachers, which was quite a feat because he could only count to ten.

On the rare occasion when a ball is hit into right field, the right fielder never makes the play alone. He will almost always get help from the first baseman, second baseman, center fielder, and probably the left fielder. They usually end up in a scrum, fighting over the ball like dogs over hamburger meat. When one of them finally comes up with it, the runner is rounding third.

I videotaped Brad’s first T ball game years ago and watched it the other day. It’s amazing how totally uninterested he was. That’s because the only reason he was “playing” was because his friends were out there. He undoubtedly got more enjoyment running around the ballpark than he did playing in right purgatory. So, when he was in the game, he often carried his outfield shenanigans to the infield, sometimes bringing play to a complete halt. He particularly enjoyed harassing his first and second base teammates. He would duck walk between the bases, turn his hat backwards and get right in

Neil Armstrong’s hair was sold in 2004 for $3,000. The lucky buyer, John Reznikoff, holds the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of hair from historical celebrities, reports NBC. But Armstrong’s lawyers threatened to sue Marx Sizemore, the not-so-lucky barber who cut the former astronaut’s hair; they said he violated an Ohio law that protects the rights of famous people. Sizemore said he wouldn’t pay, and Reznikoff said he wouldn’t give back the hair but that he’d donate $3,000 to charity.

Local churches join together to build new church in TN

By CALEB ODOM caleb@themadisonrecord.com

IRON CITY, Tenn. — It was lunchtime on Friday outside of the Holly Creek Fire Department and the Carpenters for Christ work crew was enjoying some sandwiches on the picnic table outside.

The conversation was full of laughter and fellowship as the crowd took a small recess from building a new church near the fire station on Railroad Bed Road.

It was a mostly quiet road over the state line where the cell phones quit working so well which can be a blessing for some and a curse for others.

A man named Jimmy Ballinger sat down at one of the picnic tables with his sandwich and chips in hand, but he had more on his mind that just eating his lunch.

Jimmy wanted to know where was the most beautiful place everyone at the table had been in their life.

One man said a state park, and another joked “I’ll tell you when I see it,” which drew a laugh.

When it was Jimmy’s turn to say his favorite place, it was Jenny Lake in front of Grand Teton Mountain which was a calendar-worthy view in Wyoming.

For the folks who attend Williams Chapel Free Will Baptist Church, the most beautiful place will be the sight of their brand new 6,000 square foot church building that was being put together.

The current building was small and falling apart for a congregation that had roughly 80 in attendance the week before.

It was obvious there was a definite need in this tucked away community in Iron City.

Each year, a group of churches from North Alabama join up to help build a church for an area that needs it.

“In my eyes it’s about advancing the kingdom of God,” Superintendent Mike Adams said. “I really enjoy the comradery you get from the people. The excitement you see in their faces. It’s just hard to describe.”

A member of Lindsay Lane Baptist Church in Athens, Ala. Adams was saved in 1990 and said he has been going on Carpenters from Christ trips virtually every year since 1991.

A home builder who is constantly working outside, Adams has a perpetual tan and a silver mustache as he roamed the slab giving out orders with a gruffness

that is really all an act to slightly mask his deep kindness.

“Everybody shut up,” Adams said in the fire station earlier that morning to a chorus of laughs from the crew finishing up breakfast.

“If you don’t know what you are doing, ask somebody and stay safe out there.”

The jobsite was a flurry of activity was some people working on a staircase, while others climbed around in the ceiling putting plywood down for the second floor of the church.

A massive crane scooped up trusses to be placed like dominoes in a neat row.

The putt putt sound of nail guns cut through the air of the project

Apartmentbelow,inaddtionto106CaliforniaSt.a2BR/1Bathhomewith hardwoodfloorsneedingjustlittlecosmeticwork.

The Carpenters for Christ team works on the new building for Williams Chapel Free Will Baptist Church recently in Iron City, Tenn.

Nelson Baine and David Baine work up high on the church building.

The abdominal plank is one of the most punishing exercises going, with many people struggling to maintain the form for just a few minutes. Josef Šálek (Czech Republic also known as Czechia) pushed through the pain to establish a new world record for the longest time in an abdominal plank position (male) with a staggering 9 hr 38 min 47 sec.

Thomason wins AHSAA decathlon state title

By BOB LABBE bob@themadisonrecord.com

HOOVER - He posted the fourthbest performance among high school athletes in the country and with his efforts Benjamin Thomason of James Clemens High won the AHSAA Decathlon State Championship for 2023.

“I did my best in all the events, but I could have done better in a couple of them, but I just didn’t have the time to practice,” said Thomason.

The junior Jet scored 6,166 points to outdistance runner-up Heath Whigham of McGill-Toolen Catholic who posted 5,844 points. Thomason’s three James Clemens junior class teammates also participated in the state title event with the end results: 10. Isaac Pollard 5,249, 15. Austin Abney 5,100 and 28. Brandon Fisher 3,930.

For Thomason, who won the Indoor Penthalon State Championship

just a few months ago, scored well in all the 10 events that make up Decathlon. His final results in each individual event included: 100m, 6., 11.20; 400m, 5., 51.62; 1500m, 5., 4:44.66; 110m hurdles, 2., 15.26; high jump, 9., 5-07.75; long jump, 4., 2106.75; pole vault, 25., 9-00.25; discus, 14., 95-10.00; javelin, 4., 139-11.00; shot put, 3., 41-01.00.

Pollard was second in the 1500m with a time of 4:41.01 while Abney was second in the shot put (42-02.00) and fifth in the pole vault (12-05.50).

“My best event was the hurdles, but I could have gone faster, but I need to work on my overall stamina for this event,” said the 5-foot-11, 165-pound Thomason. “I did well in the hurdles as I spent a lot of practice time on that event. To do well, you must concentrate, be focused and remember to run over the hurdle and not jump over them. You must trust yourself.”

Thomason started in track

through mutual friends, and he said he used to partake in mile runs in both elementary and middle school activities. Once among the track program at James Clemens he was enticed to try his shot at the decathlon by an assistant coach. “I was open to the idea and the first day me and my friends tried the sport we really enjoyed it. Now, there are four of us on the team and we’ll all be back next year, and will fight it out for the state championship,” added Thomason.

A college education in his future as he hopes to tag up with a Div. I school to study mechanical engineering as he will carry a 3.4 grade point average into his senior year. When not partaking in track events this time of year he works his neighborhood lawn mowing business where he currently has nine lawns he mows with his push mower. He said it’s a great workout and good income he may be able to use for college in 2024.

Jets track coach qualifies for world championships at XTERRA Trail Run National Championships

By BOB LABBE bob@themadisonrecord.com

PELHAM - Drew Bell feels blessed he’s been able to compete at a high level in 2023 as he’s won two National Championships, one national runner-up, and earned 12 All-American performances. His latest blessing came at the XTERRA Half-Marathon Trail Run National Championships held at Oak Mountain State Park in Pelham where the 57-year-old finished second in the 55-59 age division and qualified for the 2023 World Championships scheduled for Oct. 1 at the Sugarloaf Resort in Maine.

“Just to get the opportunity to continue on my

journey is incredible as I’ll be training through the summer and I will be focused for the world race,” said Bell. The half-marathon distance is 13.1 miles and Bell posted a time of 2 hours, 27 minutes, 11 seconds to earn his place among the world’s elite in October.

The Oak Mt. trail course was brutal, according to Bell, as the elevation change was 1,242 feet, most of which was a steep climb as the anticipated course had to be rerouted due to three days of rain. The change caused the participants to run more of a steep ascend through pine straw to avoid the red clay of the trail. The course was so demanding many of the runners dropped out due to injuries, dehydration or just plain mental exhaustion.

“The Alabama humidity played a big part in the race as the temperature and humidity were high and caused issues for others as they were just worn out,” added Bell. “The steep incline was very difficult and I had enough energy to get back down the mountain. Coming down the incline was tough as I focused on not falling and not reinjuring myself. I truly believe the mind can override just about everything.”

During his participation on April 1 at the National Championship 10-mile

Madison’s Drew Bell made another notch in his quest for a World Championship as he placed second in his age division at the XTERRA Trail Run National Championships and qualified for the World Championship set for Oct. 1 in Maine.

race in Washington, D.C., Bell suffered a hamstring injury, which curtailed some of his preparation efforts for the XTERRA event. Bell said he fought through the struggles and his faith in Jesus did the rest.

“I met several people during my race endeavors and we have shared our faith with one another,” added Bell. “This is what this journey has been about. Sharing Jesus along with loving and serving people. I try and get people to live their dreams in-

stead of just existing from day-to-day and year-toyear. I thought my running participation was over last year after battling COVID numerous times and battling other health issues, but God has a plan for me.” For Bell, his next step in his journey will be July 7-14 when he will an Alabama representative at the Senior Olympics in Pittsburg. At the Senior Olympics, Bell will run in the 10K and 5K races along with the mile run and 800m event in the National Senior Track Meet.

Ezzell, Hotalen, and Bodine named to NCBWA All-South Region Squads

By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.com

HUNTSVILLE - The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association announced their 2023 All-South Region team on Thursday, and The University of Alabama in Huntsville was represented by Landon Ezzell and Will Hotalen as First Team All-South Region honorees and Garrett Bodine as a Second Team AllSouth Region performer.

Ezzell – a native of Russellville, Alabama – was the Chargers’ leading hitter

this season in a number of categories, including batting average (.412), OPS (1.092), runs scored (51), hits (80), doubles (14), and RBI (46). He played at both third base and in the outfield to earn First Team AllSouth as a utility player.

The senior was First Team All-GSC and held a hitting streak of 19 games during the season and struck out fewer than ten times this season. This is Ezzell’s second appearance on the NCBWA’s All-South team.

The Attala, Alabama, native Hotalen

See UAH Page 8A

Ben Thomason of James Clemens clears a hurdle while racing in the 110-meter hurdles event of the multi-faceted AHSAA Decathlon. The super-talented junior captured the Decathlon State Championship posting the fourth-best performance in the country.

Photo- Drew Bell, James Clemens High

EVENTS

On This Day in History

1962 - On this day in 1962, the State of Israel hanged German official Adolf Eichmann, who had escaped from a prison camp in 1946 and spent some 14 years in hiding, for his part in the Nazi extermination of Jews during World War II.

Madison Arts Alliance to kick off “Sounds of Summer” free concert series on June 8

By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.com

MADISON - The Madison Arts Alliance has announced the lineup of their “Sounds of Summer” free concert series. Groove will help kick the series off in downtown Madison on June 8 starting at 7 p.m. A popular North Alabama band, Groove is

By STAFF REPORTS news@themadisonrecord.com

known for funk, R&B, soul, pop and dance party music.

The re-imaged series follows the tradition of the Gazebo Concert Series, which was once held in downtown Madison’s village green. The new format is being held at Home Place Park, 100 Shorter Street. Food trucks will be available. Those planning to come are encour-

HUNTSVILLE - Arts Huntsville and the City of Huntsville Department of Parks and Recreation’s 2023 Concerts in the Park series returns on Monday, June 5. A Huntsville-area summer tradition, the concerts will be held over ten weeks every Monday evening through Aug. 7.

Concerts in the Park showcases homegrown musical talent in a mix of genres from rock, and country to jazz, R&B, and today’s hits. The concerts will take place in downtown Huntsville in Big Spring Park from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. The series is free to the public; concertgoers should bring their own seating and leashed pets are welcome.

Local food trucks and vendors will be onsite offering a diverse array of local cuisine. Food trucks will be along Williams Avenue with additional offerings in the park.

The concert lineup features the following local performers:

June 5: Chelsea, Who? and JUICE

June 12: Wild Life in the Working Class and The Brooklines

June 19: The N.E.I.G.H.B.O.R.S. and Quantaphonics

June 26: Maneuver Center of Excellence Band (MCoE) of Fort Moore

July 3: Shane Davis Group and Rocket City Latin Band

aged to bring a chair.

Other dates and performers in the series include The Zooks on June 22, Calypso Vision on July 13, Jimmy Henderson Trio on July 27 and Kelly Joyner on August 10.

The concerts will start at 7 p.m. and end at 9 p.m.

For more information, go to www. madisonartsalliance.org.

July 10: Lana White & the Car Notes and Soul Lit Band

July 17: The Tavern Preachers and .45 Surprise

July 24: Treetop & the Gifted and Groove Yard

July 31: Full Circle and Groove

Aug 7: surprise lineup

The June 26 concert is part of Huntsville’s Armed Forces Week celebrations. MCoE Band from Fort Moore, Ga., with service history dating back to 1916 will perform followed by a downtown fireworks display.

“We love featuring Huntsville’s great music scene each summer at Concerts in the Park, and once again this year concert-goers of all ages will discover new musical talent as well as popular favorites each week in Big Spring Park,” said Arts Huntsville Executive Director Allison Dillon-Jauken.

City of Huntsville Director of Parks and Recreation James Gossett added, “Concerts in the Park is a Huntsville tradition, and the concert series – with its food trucks and free, family-friendly concerts – was voted as last year’s ‘Downtown Event of the Year.’ We look forward to bringing the community together again this year for great music every Monday night in the heart of the city.”

For more information on the 2023 Concerts in the Park series, visit www.artshuntsville.org/concerts-in-the-park.

This weekend

19TH ANNUAL CIGAR BOX GUITAR FESTIVAL

Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment • 2211 Seminole Dr SW, Huntsville • lowemill.art

Lowe Mill A&E is hosting the 19th Annual Cigar Box Guitar Festival on Saturday, June 3, from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.. Bring a chair or a blanket to the water tower lawn for a full day of free, family friendly entertainment! Six music acts showcasing the different ways these unique instruments can be played. Plus, PBS Children’s entertainer Steve Trash kicks off the day performing music and magic, then kids get to make 5 recycled instruments and perform later in the day on stage in the Junior Junk Jam. Free parking and free music all day. Benefits music in schools. Travel packages available.

HUNTSVILLE BOTANICAL GARDEN

WEDDING EXPO

June 4 • Noon - 4 p.m.

Huntsville Botanical Garden

4747 Bob Wallace Avenue, Huntsville www.hsvbg.org

Discover everything for your wedding, all in one place, up close and in person! Chat with the area’s most talented wedding professionals as you taste delicious cakes, see beautiful flowers, find amazing decor, and discover solutions for all of your planning details. Bring your entire entourage or bring your one special someone to help you make decisions.

WEEZER June 4 at The Orion Amphitheater www.theorionhuntsville.com

Weezer is oming to Huntsville! Their catalogue has included such megahits as “Buddy Holly,” “Undone (The Sweater Song),” “Say It Ain’t So,” “El Scorcho,” “Hash Pipe,” “Island In The Sun,” “Beverly Hills,” “Pork and Beans,” and more. Weezer has won Grammys, MTV Video Music Awards, and more throughout their career. Weezer formed in Los Angeles, CA in 1992 and currently consists of Rivers Cuomo (lead vocals, lead guitar), Patrick Wilson (drums), Brian Bell (rhythm guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), and Scott Shriner.

For more events, go to www.themadisonrecord.com and click the “events” tab at the top of the home page.

Starkey

Continued from page 1A

teacher at BJHS where he has been since.

He holds a master’s degree in Instructional Leadership from the University of West Alabama and bache-

Church Building

that moved along at a rapid pace. The Carpenters for Christ team has been all over the place building churches.

Projects in Mississippi, Tennessee, Ohio, Florida, Georgia and even New Orleans have helped people in need of better facilities and forged memories for the workers over the years.

“That feeling that you get just seeing people being saved and knowing that that building that you just got through building

Hobby

lor’s degree in secondary education from the University of North Alabama. He also attended Northeast Mississippi Community College and is a 2007 graduate of Muscle Shoals

Continued from page 5A

is going to be a harvest of people that don’t know Jesus as their personal savior,” Adams said.

“They are going to be saved and I’m going to see them in Heaven one day and they might walk up to me and say, ‘thank you for building that building.’”

If you or your church would like to be involved in future Carpenters for Christ trips, contact Missions Pastor Jon Thackston at Lindsay Lane Baptist Church, jon@lindsaylane.org

Continued from page 5A

their faces until the coaches physically put him back in his proper spot.

A lot of parents would have been embarrassed with their child’s on field behavior, but I found it quite entertaining. That’s because Brad was my third son to play T ball. I’m a slow learner, but after two kids I finally came to a realization about my boys being baseball stars. It wasn’t gonna happen. Now I see T ball for what it’s supposed to be - a way for kids to have fun, and for parents to judge their children’s interest in the sport going forward.

I also had the foresight to record a post first-game interview with my

UAH

High School. Starkey and his wife. Britany, have two children: Brynton, a rising 3rd grader at Columbia, and Braelynn, a rising kindergarten student.

Continued from page 6A

was named to the First Team AllSouth Region team after posting a stellar junior campaign, marking a 5-2 record on the mound with nine saves. He held the Gulf South Conference’s lowest ERA at 1.76 and led the league in saves.

Hotalen’s nine saves ties for second all-time, while his 1.76 ERA is the second-lowest ever in UAH history. He was also named First Team All-GSC relief pitcher. Bodine makes his third consecutive appearance on the NCBWA

son on video. Here’s a partial transcript:

“Brad, did you have fun playing T ball?

“Yes sir.”

“Did you hit the ball?”

“Yes sir.”

“Did you catch the ball when it came to the outfield?”

“Yes sir.”

“Oh, I must have missed it. When did you do that?”

“When you wasn’t looking.”

And with that, he looked over his shoulder, and made what he considered to be the most important statement concerning the game.

All-South Region team as he earned First Team honors in 2022 and Second Team in 2021.

A native of Harvest, Alabama, Bodine also was a First Team All-GSC honoree in the 2023 campaign in the outfield. The senior posted a batting average of .333 with 48 runs scored, stole 14 bases, knocked seven doubles, and five home runs.

UAH finished the season with the program’s 21st GSC tournament appearance, as the Chargers went 29-20 overall and 20-10 in league play.

“Dad! I’ve gotta go now. If I’m not back in the dugout I’m gonna miss my treat!”

Interview over.

Hopefully other parents can learn this lesson faster than I did. It’s just a game - treat it that way. Take time to enjoy the moments that will vanish all too fast. It’s T ball, a rite of childhood passage. Take time to stop and smell the corn dogs.

Joe Hobby is a comedian from Alabama who wrote for Jay Leno for many years. Find more of Joe’s stories on his blog: mylifeasahobby. blogspot.com. Also, on Facebook at:

Joe Hobby Comedian- Writer

Daniel Hardiman (right) moves a piece of plywood in the lift that will serve as flooring upstairs in the church.

A time to plant, a time to uproot On empty?

By BECKY MILLER God’s Lemonade Stand

“I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 (NKJV)

I rarely let my car gas tank get empty with only fumes to make it to the gas station but when I got there okay, whew. Do you ever feel worn out as if running on empty in your spiritual life?

Maybe you feel God expects you to do more and you are not growing enough to please him.

That is a lie and feeling from Satan himself. Perhaps you have been guilted into thinking what you are doing is not enough.

I haven’t seen any rules God laid out he just wants

you to spend time with Him and the word to recognize truth from the lies of the culture.

It is tempting to get up and get on social media before anything else. Try getting a good devotional book like Jesus Calling by Sarah Young but don’t forget THE book the Bible for in it you gain wisdom to lead a life pleading to Him. Try getting The Life Application Bible in New International Version to help you on your journey.

PRAYER: I am grateful to live in a nation so far that has not banned the Bible. Help me never take your word for granted and if nothing more to read a Psalms or two each day to give me fuel for my day. In Jesus’ name. Amen. God’s Lemonade Stand is written by former Madison resident Becky Miller. Her daily devotions appear on Facebook or at godslemonadestand.blogspot.com.

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Luke 12:6-7 NIV

By DAWN REED

Pansies are my favorite flowers in the spring. My great-grandmother loved them, too. The bright colors with the black centers are the ones I love best. Because my beloved knows that, each spring he makes sure I have lots of them to plant in pots on the front and back porches. This year, he got me more than ever before. They are hardy in the cool weather and make me smile every time I see them.

But then the time comes for geraniums. And I love geraniums! They are my favorite summer flower. To fill my pots with geraniums, I had to take out the spring pansies. I hated that part.

Pulling up the still-in-bloom pansies, I was struck by the symbolism of it all. It was a living example of Ecclesiastes 3:1-2: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot.”

This time of planting and uprooting flowers reminded me that there are other seasons in life with friends, ministry, and even church

members. As I dug in the dirt, I pondered friends from over the years. In my early 30s, I had close, d-e-a-r friends who help me learn to be a mother. We even sang in an ensemble together at church. We’re all spread out now, but those times and years together are as fresh in my mind if they had happened yesterday. When we do see each other, we jump in right where we left off. Seasons of friends changed and that’s OK. God brought new friends.

Ministries can also be uprooted. What seemed to thrive years ago might not be what works in 2023. (We learned that during COVID.)

Using “because that’s the way we’ve always done it” as a reason no longer applies.

Over the years, I have had the opportunity and privilege to serve on mission trips, in dental clinics, in prison, and with children of all ages. Ministry partners have changed, too, with each one having lived out their “such a time as this.” Our jail team is a wonderful example of this truth. Beginning in 2006, each volunteer along the way has brought unique gifts to the table. Some have served many years, while some only a short time. God kept-and keeps-raising up more

helpers to share with the women incarcerated at our county jail. During COVID, we were completely locked out and honestly thought the time had come to an end. We knew God could open up another avenue of ministry. Then He did the sweetest thing: He re-opened the door for us to go back in! Ministries change and that’s OK.

As I uprooted pansies and planted geraniums, it brought to mind church members who have gone to other churches, recently and through the years. I have to tell myself that, too, is OK. My heart and head need to be about kingdom business and not just the church where I serve. I truly want each follower of Christ to thrive, grow deep roots in a local church, and gloriously bloom where they are planted. Just like my new geraniums.

I cleaned up my mess and ventured to the back porch where I would be planting begonias with double blooms. (We’ve never had double blooming begonias before.) I hadn’t realized the flower switch would end up being a lesson from Ecclesiastes. My heavenly Father is the sweetest. He teaches me the neatest things when I pay attention.